So today, after leaving the front under arches to dry off for a week, was the time to paint them. I am using KBS Rust Seal in Off White as I thought this would compliment (match) the topside of the car. Well the colour is a little lighter but not too bad and you will rarely see both side together.

If you use this paint be aware that once it is dry it does not come off, if you get it on skin you have to wait for that layer of skin to shed ! Once dry not even thinners will shift it.  Also note that the coverage on the tin is very optimistic, I gave both sides two coats with a brush and use about 2/3 of a Quart (1l) tin. This is going to be quite expensive to finish the whole of the underside as I think it will need another coat.

I also removed the back axle ready for clean/prep/paint and also to remove the 1/2 shafts and rear drums ready for the rear disc caliper brackets. I had hoped to do a swap (thought I had a 4.4:1) for a lower diff (3.89 or possible a 3.77) but once removed the diff is actually a 33/8 tooth crown wheel and pinion and so 4.125:1. The good news is that it is like new, no chipped teeth, all nice and tight and being a lower ratio than I thought I can live with it for now.

So, plans for the new few weeks - get engine/struts back, refit cross member and measure up for engine mounts (got an idea what i am going to do), clean and paint rear axle, fit rear brakes, clean and paint rear underside and send off for throttle body adaptor (got a good quote). Not much then !

Buying

Managed to source the Zetec SE > Type 9 bellhousing and clutch fork and also got hold of a 215mm Pinto clutch, I already has the release bearing so drive line should all bolt together now.

Second on the list, and quite difficult to find, was a low profile, rear water manifold that will help get the engine 100mm back in the engine bay. Thanks to Shawspeed for sourcing the bellhousing etc. and the water manifold.

I also managed to get hold of a Polo radiator for £26 delivered, bit of a bargain. Other items that I have had delivered included a set of door locks and internal rods, a set of front indicator shells,  a set of Peugeot 205GTI 14" Pepperpot alloys, the correct track rod ends, the Caprisport GTR260 and rear disc conversion brackets, a gear stick, a wiper motor and a matching Sabelt harness to the one I already have. In addition the previous owner called to let me know he had an additional box of bits and a missing front window, this had the original boot lock so I now have a matching set of locks, a few bits of trim and most of all an Escort Mk2 pedal box that the bulkhead had been modified for.

Cleaning and painting

I had planned to get the car out on the drive and up ion stands so that i could clean, prep and paint the underneath, but the week I had off work to do this had a variable weather forecast so I changed tack and worked on just the front end in the garage whilst cleaning, prepping and painting a load of other parts ready to go back on. Thankfully all I found was some surface rust and the underseal came of fairly easily.

The underneath of the wings up to the bulkhead/front jacking point were wire brushed, cleaned with petrol, washed with POR15 Marine Clean, washed in clean water, treated with POR15 Metal Prep and cleaned again in clean water.  The plan is to leave then to fully dry out over the next week and then paint with KBS Rust Seal paint (off white).

I also gave the brakes, pedal box, cross member and various brackets a coat(s) of paint once I had sourced some Hammerite Dark Blue paint (now discontinued but a great match to the Anchor Blue roof/roll bar). i also touched up the anti roll bar and steering rack with Hammerite black sating paint. Pictures of the painted parts are in the Images section.